“Run now, no drama today” is the motto that inspires Lincoln High School football players to make good choices.
SAN DIEGO — Ohlenthal James Simpson, the legendary football player who gained notoriety for his sensational serial murder trial, has died at the age of 76. His family says O.J. Simpson had prostate cancer.
Simpson was a star running back at the University of Southern California and played 11 seasons in the NFL before being charged with murdering his ex-wife and her friend. The jury found him not guilty.
Lincoln High School football coach David Dunn, a Fresno State football player, was on his way home for a break after getting stuck in traffic during O. J. Simpson's iconic low-speed chase in Los Angeles.
“I was wondering why I was stuck in traffic as I was approaching Los Angeles. Usually it takes me four hours to drive home, but that day it took me 10 hours,” Dan recalled.
Dunn says that despite the controversy that disrupted his life, Simpson had talent.
“Nobody can argue with that. He did great things on the football field. He did great things at USC and in the NFL,” Dunn said.
“It's painful to watch when professional athletes, entertainers, and movie stars fall from grace or make choices that put them in dire situations,” Dunn added. “It’s what separates the accomplishments on the field from what happens off the field.”
Dan remembers the bright, shining star who was OJ before his infamous serial killer trial. Simpson has appeared everywhere from movies to commercials.
“When you're traveling and you see someone running through an airport, that's the first thing that comes to mind. That Hertz commercial, running through the airport, jumping over luggage, trying to get there. That was a classic. ”
For many, that's why Simpson's fall from grace was so painful on and off the field. He meant so much to so many people.
Marcus Allen, a Lincoln High School graduate and star football player, was once friends with Simpson. In May 1996, Allen testified in a wrongful death lawsuit brought against Simpson by the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Mr. Dunn spoke with Lincoln High School football players who are aiming for the heights of O.J.'s famed football career.
“They become idols to us. It breaks our hearts to see them fall, make bad decisions, or do things that are completely out of character.”
OJ, or “Juice” as he was known, was a football star turned Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges that he allegedly murdered his ex-wife and her friend. The trial captivated the nation and exposed America's divisions over race and policing.
“It divided a lot of people. It divided a culture, it divided a race, it divided a lot of things,” Dunn recalled of the early 1990s trial.
But there are lessons to be learned.
“A very valuable lesson we teach our children is to do your best to avoid any negative situations,” Dunn said.
Lincoln High School students have a motto popularized by one of their basketball coaches. “Let's quit the drama today and go home.”
“Any situation that can lead to a vicious cycle, no matter the issue, is a no-no,” Dunn said. “If you walk away, we'll talk about it another day. If you make the wrong decision, your whole life can be turned upside down.”
That's a lesson we can all learn.
Watch related: O.J. Simpson acquittal 1995: San Diego reaction
